Chapter Six

"Many Fronts"

For the first time in nearly 1,000 years, the banners of the Great Towers waved in the air, proudly displaying what this structure stood for. It was the symbol of what Eternia was. The Grayskull Tower, channeling the power of good. The Viper, channeling the power of evil. The Central Tower, channeling the power of both.

But much like the last time it was raised, it has brought forth battle upon its gates. The great Heroic Warriors of Eternos, lead by the valiant hero named He-Man, arrived by order of the Sorceress to ensure that the Towers remain in the correct, responsible hands. But the Evil Warriors of Skeletor and the Snake Men of King Hiss arrived first, to make sure that they were the ones that took control of the awesome power.

And so, fate and destiny weaves its way here on Eternia as the greatest forces on the planet smash and collide with each other for domination.

He-Man had spotted Hiss and Skeletor enter the Central Tower, and he grew immediately concerned. Having Man-At-Arms cover him as he rushed with Battle Cat towards the Tower, He-Man prepped himself for battle. Drawing his Power Sword and his axe, he approached the mot that surrounded the front gate.

Unsure as to what to do, He-Man looked at the tiger's head above the gate. Its eyes seemed to read into He-Man, as if determining what he was. The open mouth, then, that protected the doorway, closed. A bridge fell and the doors opened. He-Man rushed in.

Only to receive an energy blast right in the chest from Skeletor. He-Man immediately leapt up then, to avoid any more. But Skeletor seemed to be glowing, somehow, as if his power levels were higher.

"It seems the first to enter into the Central Tower receives its gift of incredible power!" Skeletor cackled. He fired from his Chaos Staff, the beam stronger than ever before. He-Man lifted his axe to block it, but the beam was so strong, it knocked the weapon out of his hand.

He-Man dove for it, but was blasted in the arm. The Sword of Power went flying into the air . . . and right into Skeletor's grasp.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Skeletor laughed. He held the sword up in the air, chanted a few words, and then - in a flash of light - the Power Sword had completely vanished!

"No!"

He-Man charged at Skeletor, but was blasted back once more. "Fight me, He-Man! Fight me to the death!"

Skeletor waved out his Chaos Staff, and He-Man lunged.

***

Man-At-Arms swung his club through the air, striking down on Mer-Man's trident. Man-At-Arms, expecting this, threw a punch into Mer-Man's stomach. The master of the seas lurched, but thrusted a dagger towards Man-At-Arms leg.

Just as it was about to reach, a weed sprung up and yanked out of Mer-Man's hand and tossed it to the ground. This allowed Man-At-Arms to get in another shove to Mer-Man and the aquatic villain the dirt floor. Man-At-Arms gave a friendly nod to Moss Man, then threw in against Whiplash.

"We're being overwhelmed!" shouted Stratos, soaring down behind Man-At-Arms, as well as adding in a few blows to Whiplash.

"You're right! Sy-Klone, Moss Man! Plan Beta-3!"

Sy-Klone nodded, then backed away from Stinkor. He then began spinning his hands around, creating large whirlwinds that swept across the landscape, separating the two armies. Moss Man then touched the ground, causing bushes appear in the space between Heroic Warriors and their enemies.

"We don't have a lot of time," Man-At-Arms stated, prepping his laser cannon. "On my mark, we open fire . . ."

The Evil Warriors began to tear through the brush. As soon as the first body appeared, Man-At-Arms pointed downward.

"MARK! FIRE!"

***

King Hiss ignored the sounds of battle from within and without the Towers. He reached his destination - the monorail. The only entrance into the two other Towers. Knowing that stepping into Grayskull Tower would only entrap him there, he made for Viper Tower. A Tower he knew only too well.

The monorail moved into motion, and soon arrived at the Viper Tower. The large snake top seemed to be staring down at the battle with sinister eyes.

He stepped out of the monorail and into the Viper Tower. Descending a long set of stairs, King Hiss felt old evil air fill his snake lungs. After a long walk, he arrived in the throne room of the Viper Tower. His first instinct was to sit on the throne and once more feel its comfortable. But he had other matters to attend to . . .

Centered around a pool of mirky water were two warriors, frozen in statue form. Sssqueeze and Snake Face. He walked over to the pair and looked into the pool, its surface still and calm. King Hiss fired a beam of energy into the pool, causing ripples to caress its surface.

There was a flash of light from both the long armed Sssqueeze and the hollow-eyed Snake Face. Their statue forms faded, the trap set centuries ago finally freeing them.

"King Hiss!" yelped Sssqueeze.

"You live?!" Snake Face followed up, shocked.

"Indeed I do. My generals, there is a war outside. Find Rattlor and Tung Lashor and join them. They will be taking company with monsters and creatures from this new century we find ourselves living in, but they are with us . . . for now. Go forth and fight for me!"

The pair made for the stairs and King Hiss grinned. He walked towards the throne and sat down, ready for this battle to be far from over. King Hiss waved his hand into the air. The pool across the room shimmered and began to form an image above it.

Hordak was preparing for battle on Etheria, and would soon arrive on Eternia to no doubtedly claim the Great Towers for himself. King Hiss closed his eyes then, and prepared for Hordak's arrival.

***

Teela pulled on her armor, knowing full well that her father had forbade her from entering the battle. But wounds or not, Teela knew when she was needed. She stood up, grasped a firm hold of her staff and walked out of her room.

TEELA!

Teela was suddenly knocked back by a shocking telepathic blare. A vision of the Sorceress appeared before her, telepathically communicating with her.

"Sorceress . . . ?"

Teela, though it pains me to ask you to join the battle, I know that you were already planning to. I have an assignment for you.

"Pains you to? What?"

You must deliver a message to He-Man.

"Okay. What is it?"

Open your mind, Teela, and listen to my words very carefully . . .

***

The afternoon soon as its apex, the battle roared on. Man-At-Arms' strategy only partially worked. A pair of newcomers had upset things, though. The one with long arms had nearly disabled Mekaneck. But luckily for Mekaneck, Clamp Champ intervened, using his robotic claw and super-senses to free him.

The other made Man-At-Arms nervous because other than a tough as rock skin, this other snake man displayed no abilities. It would be best to take him quickly and swiftly. Man-At-Arms swept towards this new one, then, and prepared to take him out when -

The sound of a Talon Fighter tore through the air, catching his ear. Looking up, he saw none other than Teela on board, heading towards the top of the Central Tower.

"NO!" Man-At-Arms shouted. He then turned around, to see how he could get over to the Tower, when his first target appeared before him. Red snakes shot out from his eyes and mouth - and then everything around Man-At-Arms went pitch black.

"A fine victory!" yelled out Snake Face, Man-At-Arms now a statue. "A fine new statue for the collection!"

Just then, a spray of water splashed against Snake Face, sending him slip sliding through mud. Extendar showed up then and lifted the Man-At-Arms statue up and delivered it to safety. Snout Spout nodded to his friend, then unleashed more water upon Snake Face.

***

Teela winced in pain as she rushed out of the Talon Fighter. Her wounds were deep when Beast-Man laid into her and the recovery period was not yet over. But she didn't have time to recover any more. It was inperative that He-Man receives this message. It would mean should have to get into combat, most assuredly.

Pulling out her staff, Teela made for an elevator. She pulled for it to go down, taking her down a few levels. She didn't see anything on the fourth and third levels, and the same thing for the second. But the first one brought quite a sight.

Teela gasped.

His body bloody and smoldering, He-Man was thrusted away from Skeletor. "No!" she yelled, running into battle.

"You? I thought Beast-Man had taken care of you for good. Leave it to me to finish this!"

He fired a bolt at Teela, but the young royal captain leapt into the air and kicked Skeletor in the stomach. Skeletor lurched back, gasping.

"HE-MAN!" she shouted, swinging with her staff against the Chaos Staff. "The Sorceress! She told me that you have enough access to the Towers vast power as Skeletor does!"

Teela shoved the front of the staff into the Skeletor's face, then she flipped backwards, to He-Man's body.

"How . . .?" He-Man began.

"You need - "

"THAT'S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!" yelled Skeletor, then. He threw up his hand and unleashed a crashing power blast.

Teela didn't even have to scream as it struck her young body, sending streams of energy coursing through her. She seized, her body rippling with destructive power. She was tossed back slammed into a wall, then smacking right onto the floor.

"TEELA!" screamed He-Man, heading towards her frail form.

But before he reached her, a bolt struck He-Man hard. He crumbled to the floor, in severe pain. He reached for Teela's limp and unmoving body . . . body Skeletor stood in the way, Chaos Staff brimming with power.

"Let's end this, He-Man. Once and for all, let's end this."

He-Man looked up at Skeletor, and looked deeply into Skeletor's eyes. An abyss, black and evil, suckling the great power in these walls like a baby would a mother. He had to be stopped - HE MUST BE STOPPED. For Teela's sake . . .

And then everything seemed to slow down. Skeletor positioned his Chaos Staff, and charged it. In those scant seconds, He-Man found himself coming in touch with powers that were placed in the Great Towers. Powers of evil . . . and GOOD.

Skeletor fired, the death shot-striking He-Man in the chest.

It had no effect.

He-Man stood up, Skeletor's jaw dropping.

"The power that channels here is both good and evil, Skeletor. Good. And evil."

And then, with a thunderous crack of power, He-Man's mighty blade reappeared in his hand. He swung fast, striking Skeletor's Chaos Staff hard. He-Man then moved in and delivered an elbow shot to Skeletor's chest; only to follow up with a palm thrust to the face.

He-Man then kicked Skeletor in the gut, and slammed his Power Sword against the Chaos Staff. Skeletor fell to the ground, the staff rolling away. He was shocked to see He-Man's beaten body, now glowing with incredible power.

Skeletor unleashed his energies at He-Man, but felt them dwindling with each blast. He-Man deflected them.

He threw open his hand, and the Chaos Staff flew to him. He-Man thrusted, but was blocked by the Chaos Staff.

"I will defeat you," Skeletor hissed.

"So you think," He-Man replied sharply.

The two separated then, shifted back, then pushed towards each other. He-Man engaged himself against Skeletor, but couldn't ignore the terrible body of Teela slumped on the floor . . . possibly dead.

***

With Man-At-Arms in some sort of statue form, Stratos took command of the Heroic Warriors. "Pull back!" he ordered as the Evil Warriors continued to gain the upper hand against them.

The group circled together, standing back-to-back, the great evil forces before them. Stratos prepped his missiles, then turned to the others.

"This battle needs to end," he told them.

Just then, there was a certain burst of orange light from both forces immediate left. A portal opened, and Hordak marched out, followed by the Horde Elite.

"Take the Towers!" Hordak yelled, pointing to the three Great Towers.

"Move around!" Stratos ordered. "Keep them off their toes!"

"Destroy both of them!" came Evil Lynn's cry.

"Stop them!" Rattlor shouted.

The four armies collided, combat unleashed throughout the lines. Dust kicked up, filling the air with war and battle. Bodies slammed against bodies. Powers went against powers. Blood flew from wounds. Warriors met and engaged in war.

And through it all, Hordak made for the entrance of the Central Tower. As he neared the mot, though, a form appeared before him.

King Hiss.

"Hordak, former apprentice to the Elders."

"King Hiss, former master of the Dark Hemisphere."

Hiss grinned, his flesh melting away to reveal his snakes. "I suppose you want the same thing I want."

Hordak snorted, his arm becoming a energy cannon. "Of course, you dolt. The Great Towers is mine, and it belongs to me."

"We shall see."

And then the two leapt into battle.